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They turned up as we were packing for our upcoming office move. And obviously, these books aren’t guiding any travelers by just sitting in my office. Instead, I’m going to give you a chance to win one!

It gives you all the advice you’ll need to discover where to enjoy the soft Mediterranean breeze along the boardwalks, indulge in the fragrant olive and lemon groves, and experience the art, fashion, music, and architecture that flourishes in the cities.

And I can’t forget to mention the food, which has been described as heavenly. I can personally vouch for that, having been to Italy many times. Pauline’s book is really great in that she helps you find some of the best spots in the country to savor the best Italian cuisine.

Here’s what you have to do to enter to win. Leave a comment on this post telling me about at least one place or site you want to see in Italy and why. To be eligible to win, you must include your first name and an e-mail address where we can contact you if you win in the comment. The commenting contest starts today and ends on Friday, June 24 at 11:59 p.m. EST. One winner will be randomly selected from the pool of comments and announced on the blog.

As I told you in my last post, in my pursuit of an interview with the Frommers, I was able to snag a few autographed copies of Arthur’s latest books. He was kind enough to not only talk to us on camera, but autograph four books for us. Thanks Arthur!

I packaged “Ask Arthur Frommer” and “Frommer’s Costa Rica 2011” together to give two sets away to two lucky Friendly Planet Travel readers. Both are packed with travel advice and sure to come in handy. Take a quick look at Arthur’s John Hancock.

To enter to win, leave a comment on this post telling me why you want to win Arthur’s books. Would you keep them for yourself or give them away as a gift? Or has Arthur Frommer been your travel muse? Tell me all about it!

To be eligible to win, you must include your first name and an e-mail address where we can contact you if you win in the comment. The commenting contest starts today and ends on Wednesday, Feb. 23 at 11:59 p.m. EST. Two winners will be randomly selected from the pool of comments and announced on the blog.

Put your traveling caps on and start telling me why you want to win these books. I look forward to reading your comments!

Arthur and Pauline Frommer are like the rock stars of the travel industry. When I found out they were going to be speaking at The Philadelphia Inquirer Travel Show, I decided to stalk them and try to get a meeting. Low and behold, despite the fact that everyone wanted their attention and time, the Frommers were gracious enough to give us a few minutes on camera.

The name Frommer’s is synonymous with travel guidebooks. Arthur Frommer has been helping travelers find their way around unfamiliar cities since 1955. His seminal book, “Europe on $5 a Day,” helped me, along with millions of travelers, discover that worldwide travel can be inexpensive and thrilling!

His daughter Pauline followed in his footsteps and has her own line of travel guide books that take a spend less, see more approach. Both are accomplished travel journalists who share their combined travel wisdom online at Frommer’s, travel shows, and on numerous media outlets.

I was thrilled when Friendly Planet Travel blogger Melissa got a few minutes to interview Pauline and Arthur right after their last presentation. She also snagged a few autographed copies “Ask Arthur Frommer,” that we’ll be giving away on the blog. So stay tuned to the blog to get details.

Hit play and find out what inspired Arthur to write his first book, “The GI’s Guide to Traveling In Europe,” what the Obama Administration’s exemptions to the Cuba travel embargo mean for U.S. travelers, how Bacelona, Spain recently won Pauline’s heart, and more.

On Sunday at 3:15 p.m., my special guest Corrine dug her hand into a fishbowl full of names and picked the three winners. For a trip for two on the Taste of China tour, we called out Larry Kleeman. Larry and his wife Wendy were in the crowd to accept their free trip!

Melissa, a Friendly Planet Travel blogger, interviewed them right after they got the news. I can’t put their excitement into words, so I’ll let them do it themselves. Watch the video below.

Congrats again Larry and Wendy! You’re going to have an amazing trip. We announced the winners of the Taj Mahal Express tour and the Nikon S8100 digital camera, but neither winner was there to accept their prize. So if you entered our drawing, check your e-mail and voice mail, we’re trying to reach you!

Thanks to everyone who stopped by our booth to enter to win and who showed up to my presentations on Saturday and Sunday. It was gratifying to see the room fill up to standing room only. I hope every one of you took something valuable away from “7 Exotic Locations for the Price of a Vegas Weekend” and “How to Compare Travel Offers for the Best Value.”

And in case you missed it, we have the video! I’ll post it in the coming days. I wasn’t the only presenter at the show. I was in the amazing company of Arthur and Pauline Frommer, which was very exciting for me. After all, without Arthur Frommer’s “Europe on $5 a Day,” I might never have figured out that travel to the far corners of the world can be inexpensive as well as thrilling. Melissa interviewed Pauline and Arthur and got a few of their travel guidebooks autographed.

She also got a few minutes with Patricia Schultz, travel journalist and author of “1,000 Places to See Before You Die.” When I post the interviews, I’ll tell you how you can win autographed copies of the Frommer’s travel guidebooks as well as Patricia’s book.

Our blogging team found out what travelers thought about the TSA’s new airport security measures, airline ticket prices, as well as their favorite piece of travel advice, the #1 item they need in their carry-on bag, and much more. You’ll hear all their answers and a few fun surprises in the videos that are coming soon.

Friendly Planet Travel had a great time at The Philadelphia Inquirer Travel Show! Thanks again to everyone who attended. Stay in touch with the blog, videos and giveaways are on the way!